Green



March 24, 1964 A. GREEN 3,126,047

MULTIPLE GAS BURNER AND INTERNAL DIVERTE ZR Original Filed Jan. 27, 19582 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. All-FED 5962 A. GREEN March 24, 1964 MULTIPLEGAS BURNER AND INTERNAL DIVERTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan.27, 1958 IN VENT OR. AL Ffi'D GAEf/V United States Patent 3,126,047MULTELE GAS BURNER AND INTERNAL DEVERTER Alfred Green, Maple Vaz'ley,Wash.

(8036 11th Ave. NE, Seattle, Wash.) Continuation of application Ser. No.711,365, Jan. 27, 1958. This application Get. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 65,559Claims. (Cl. 158104) Campers, hunters and those who reside in remoteplaces frequently employ multiple-burner gasoline stoves (usually withthree burners, although some have but two burners) of a well known type,in which gas is generated from liquid gasoline at a centrally positionedmaster burner in a generative tube overlying that burner, and isdelivered in gaseous form to a distributing chamber immediately beneathand communicating directly and freely with the master burner, and isdistributed from that chamber by means of a lateral conduit or conduitsto the outlying secondary burner or burners. It has been found in usethat the tendency is for the hot gas to rise immediately and so to besupplied over-plentifully to and burned principally at the master burnerimmediately beneath which it is first delivered, and so the latter willburn with a high flame, whereas the flow to the secondary burners tendsto be inadequate, even with their control valves fully opened, and thelow flame in these secondary burners may blow out. If this occurs in anenclosed space, as for instance within a tent or cabin, there is a veryreal danger of asphyxiation and of explosion and fire, arising from thecontinuing use of the stove. The tendency to blow out is particularlyaggravated if it be attempted to turn down the master burner, for thatresults in disproportionately greater lowering of the flame in thesecondary burners. Regardless of blowing out, the uneven distribution ofgas to the several burners detracts from the usefulness of the stove,and renders its control diilicult. It is the object of the presentinvention to provide means to insure more equal distribution of the gasto the secondary burners so that, in effect, each individual burner maybe regulated between high and low flame without too greatly aifectingany other burner. This end is accomplished by a diverter and backpressure generatorof special type, installed within the distributingchamber beneath the master burner.

Such stoves as these are relatively inexpensive and must be light inweight for portability. Moreover, since they are used in remote places,any diverter that is to be used must be small, light, reliable anditself easily transportable and replaceable, as well as inexpensive. Toprovide a diverter having these characteristics is a further object ofthis invention.

The present invention concerns the stove as a whole, including themaster burner and one or more secondary burners, and in particular thedistribution chamber and the conduits therefrom to the secondary burneror burners, in combination with a diverter and back pressure generatorfor installation in the distributing chamber, and the invention concernsfurther the novel form of such a diverter and back pressure generatorper se, for use in a standard stove of the character described. Thestove is of known or standard construction, and usually the diverteralone will be sold and installed in a stove already purchased.

The present invention is disclosed in a typical form of execution in theaccompanying drawings, wherein FIG- URE l is an exploded isometric viewof a master burner, of the distributing chamber therebeneath, and of theconduit connections to two secondary burners, illustrating the device ofthe present invention ready for installation.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view, substantially along the axis ofthe gas supply tube and inlet port,

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illustrating the distributing chamber beneath the master burner with thediverter of this invention installed therein and the master burnerthereabove, and FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the same, at the planeindicated at 33 in FIGURE 2, with the cap structure of the burnerremoved, and illustrating primarily the diverter installed within thegas distributing chamber.

The gas generative device in such a stove is part of a master burner 1,which like the secondary burners 2, in

the stove chosen to exemplify the invention, is composed of a series ofstacked and alternating rings 12a and 12b closed over by a non-perforatecap 12d. The rings are radially corrugated and the rings 1217 areplanar, thereby defining many radial exits for gas from a centrallylocated vertical passage for the gas. Each such burner rests upon adished bottom flange, or shallow cup 11, and is held in place by a screw14 passing downwardly through the cap 12d and threading within a post 15beneath the burner, and upstanding within the distributing chamber 10,which lies beneath the master burner 1. The gas distributing chamber 16is formed generally rectangular in plan, with vertical walls thatsupport the cup 11, and is closed at its bottom. A disk 120 open at itscenter 112e, rests within the cup 11 beneath the rings 12a, 12b toinsure exit of gas from the distributing chamber 10 axially upwardlythrough the central passage within such rings 12a and 12b, and beneaththe cap 12d. Its only exit is by way of the circumferential ring ofradial exits defined by the rings 12a, 12b. All the burners are ofessentially the same construction and arrangement, except that thedistributing chamber beneath the master burner receives all the freshlygenerated gas, and such as is not burned in the master burner can passoutwardly through the lateral conduit means 21 to the secondary burneror burners. Since, however, there is a directly upward exit for the hot,freshly generated gas from the distributing chamber 10 beneath themaster burner, by way of opening 12c and so out the master burner, andwithout the diverter of this invention there is nothing which iseffective to create back pressure between the chamber 10 and the masterburner, the volume which exits by Way of lateral conduits 21 tosecondary burners is unlikely to be large, even at best.

It is understood that gas is generated from liquid gasoline or like fuelby means of a generator tube 3 which, in use, overlies the master burner1 and is heated by the flame from the latter, and the spigot 30 of thisgenerator tube fits within a socket 31 at one side of the master burner,leading to a mixing chamber 35 wherein the gas mixes with air, andwhence a gas supply tube 32 leads downwardly and then inwardly andthrough one wall of the chamber 10, which has an inlet port 33 in onewall for the gas. Outlet ports 20 are disposed in the walls at pointsspaced from the inlet port 33, and lead by way of lateral conduit means21 to the secondary burner or burners 2.

As has been stated, any such distribution of the gas is necessarilyrather haphazard for the reason that the gas is heated and tends torise, oversupplying the master burner, and does not readily movelaterally through the conduits 21, for there is no such back-pressure atthe master burner as to force appreciable amounts of gas to flow thuslaterally. The result is that the gas supply through the conduit means21 is often inadequate to maintain more than a minimum flame in thesecondary burners 2, while the flame at the master burner 1 is higherthan required. It follows that it is not possible to turn down themaster burner without the danger of extinguishment of the secondaryburners, nor is the flame in the secondary burners sufiiciently high forproper regulation, nor sometimes for practical use.

According to the present invention, a diverter and back pressuregenerator is employed within the gas distributing chamber 10, andbetween the inlet to that chamber and the master burner 1, of such shapeand so arranged, and so held in place, as to block free exit of gas byway of the master burner, and thus dynamically to efiect diversion ofthe gas in adequate volume to the conduits 21 leading to the secondaryburners. Gnly incidentally, and primarily as a result of back pressurein the passages to the secondary burners, is gas permitted to passthrough a restricted passage, as for example around a horizontal edge oredges of the diverter, preferably its lower edge, for access through thecenter of the cap assembly, at the central opening 12e, to the masterburner. The supply to the master burner is adequate, but the dynamicflow by reason of the diverter, and the back pressure thus created,forces a higher percentage of gas to the secondary burner.

The diverter and back pressure generator may assume various forms,primarily including an upright wall which diverts gas entering at theinlet port 33 towards the outlet port or ports 20. It is indicated ingeneral by the numeral 4. Preferably it is formed of two parts, namely,a metal ribbon at; of V-shape, or of modified delta shape, disposed asan upright wall in use, and as a whole defining a generally horizontalplane, and a perforated disk 41 overlying the delta at one edge. Theparts should be of heat-resistant material, such as stainless steel, andthe ribbon at least should have some resilience.

For use in a three-burner stove the ribbon is formed with an apex 43which is installed in position to divide the gas stream entering throughinlet port 33, and legs 42 extend thence past the respective outletports 20 to direct entering gas to these ports 20 and thence to thesecondary burners 2. It installed in a two-burner stove division of theentering gas is unnecessary, and the leg of the delta may extend from apoint beyond the inlet port to a point beyond the outlet port. Assumingits use in a threeburner stove, as shown, the two legs 42 of thedeltashaped ribbon are curved as viewed in plan, and each extendsentirely across the gas distributing chamber to an opposite wall,thereby facilitating dynamic flow to the secondary burners, and dividingthe chamber into three subchambers, namely two outer subchambers A and Band an inner subchamber C. The two legs 42 are separate, and theirresilient termini 4-4 bear against the walls of the chambers. They canbe squeezed together for installation and then spring outwardly tofrictionally engage the chamber walls. This will maintain the diverterin its operative position, and could serve as the entire support of thediverter, although a further support preferably is provided.

It is necessary to insure that some gas entering at inlet port 33 willreach the master burner. Since the legs 42 of the diverter direct theentering gas by way of subchambers A and B towards the outlet ports 20leading to the secondary burners 2, provision is made for passage ofsome of the gas to the inner chamber C and thence indirectly to themaster burner. This can be done by spacing the ribbon 40 at one or bothits edges from adjacent structure; preferably its lower edge only isspaced above the bottom of the distributing chamber to leave ahorizontal, somewhat restricted, low-lying passageway 17 between theinner subchamber C and the outer subchambers A and B. The passage 17 islargely out of the flow path of gases that exit at 26, but is theprincipal communication between the two outer and the inner subchambers.Suflicient gas is expelled by back pressure in the subchambers A and Bto supply the needs of the .master burner 1 by way of subchamber C. Gasfrom the inner subchamber C rises into the central aperture of themaster burner, and thence exits between rings 12a and 12b.

To assist in attaining such back pressure the ribbon is preferablyafiixed to a disk 41, the latter being of a size to overlie thedistributing chamber 10 and to rest upon the flange lila. Being affixedto the disk with its upper edge in close contact therewith, there is nospace across the upper edge of the ribbon for passage of gas from outersubchambers A and B to inner subchamber C, yet such a passage might beprovided to supplement or supplant the lower passage 17. Some leakagedirectly from subchambers A and B to the burners central aperture may bedesirable, and if so the disk 41 is apertured as shown at 4 5, above theouter subchambers, as well as above the inner subchamber.

The disk is aflixed to the ribbon at 46, intermediate the ends of thelegs of the delta. The termini 44 are left free, so that by theirresilience they may frictionally engage the walls of the distributingchamber, and so that they may be sprung inwardly for installation, asalready described.

The spacing of the ribbons lower edge above the bottom of the gasdistributing chamber might be achieved otherwise than by its suspensionfrom the disk 41. For example, its lower edge might rest upon the boss16 which stands up centrally of the bottom, and in such case the disk 41need not be affixed to nor support the ribbon. It is preferred, however,that the diverter and back pressure generator be one unit, for ease ofhandling, hence the construction shown and described is preferred.

When the stove is operating, with gas generated at the master burner 1and delivered at inlet port 33 to the gas distributing chamber 19, thedynamic movement of such gas is guided by the curved walls 42 to theoutlet ports 20 although some of the gas escapes through the passage 17or equivalent passages, and through apertures 45 if these are provided,into the central aperture of the master burner 1, and thence exitsaround the burners periphery, in far smaller volume than if the diverterwere absent. The diverter and back pressure generator equalizes the gasvolume delivered to the several burners. Each secondary burner isreadily and individually controlled by its own throttle valve (notshown), and the total gas supply and hence the supply to the masterburner is regulated by the main supply valve (also not shown). Testshave shown that each burner, with all operating simultaneously, can beadjusted to boil a like quantity of water in the same length of time. Noburner is starved.

The device is small in size and of light weight, and relativelyinexpensive. A person going into a remote area and depending upon such astove can readily carry several such devices. They will last forconsiderable periods of time, since they are not directly exposed to theheat of the flame, but should one need replacement it is a simple matterto replace it by simply removing the screw 14 and the cap and burnerassembly and installing a new diverter 4, the only tool required being ascrew driver for the screw 14. Once installed, the diverter is securelyheld in operative position, and cannot be lost nor displaced.

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 711,365,filed January 27, 1958, now abancloned.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a gas burning device including casing meansdefining a gas distributing chamber having a top opening to supply afirst burner means, and said casing means having spaced gas inlet andoutlet ports formed in its side walls, a second burner means connectedfor supply to said outlet port, gas diverter means inserted within thegas distributing chamber and including a ribbon of metal disposed in anupright plane and having a leg extending substantially entirely acrossthe chamher and from the top opening downwardly, from a locationadjacent the mouth of the inlet port to a location on the opposite sideof the outlet port from said inlet port, said ribbon leg being so spacedfrom the adjacent portions of the chamber side wall between saidlocations as to divide the chamber into two subchambers at least one ofwhich communicates with the top opening and the other of whichinterconnects the inlet and outlet ports to divert gas therebetween andto the second burner means, and

means overlying said top opening for creating back pressure in thesubchambers.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the casing means also isformed to define a second outlet port in the side wall of the chamber, athird burner means connected for supply to said second outlet port, andthe metal ribbon having an additional leg extending from the inlet portto the opposite side of the second outlet port from the inlet port, andsaid second leg being spaced from the chambers wall to define anadditional subchamber interconnecting the inlet port and the secondoutlet port.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the metal ribbon ismounted in spaced relation to the bottom of the chamber so as to definea passage beneath it through which the subchambers can communicate.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the means for creatingback pressure in the subcharnbers includes a perforated disk mounted inthe top opening and having the metal ribbon depending therefrom.

5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the ribbon is in theform of a delta configuration disposed with its apex at the locationadjacent the mouth of the inlet port.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the ribbon terminates atends spaced apart from one another opposite the apex.

7. A gas diverter for use in the primary gas distributing chamber of amulti-unit gas burning device, comprising a ribbon of metal formedgenerally in a delta shape, and adapted to be disposed in use withinsuch chamber, with the plane defined by the delta horizontal, and a diskapplied to the upper edge of said ribbon, of a size and shape such thatwhen the diverter is disposed in operative relation to the chamber saiddisk is adapted to cover and close such chamber, said disk beingperforated for passage of gas in controlled quantity from its lower toits upper side.

8. A gas diverter for use in the primary gas distributing chamber of amulti-unit gas burning device, comprising a ribbon of metal formedgenerally in a delta shape, and adapted to be disposed in use withinsuch chamber, with the plane defined by the delta horizontal, the deltashape being of a size and shape such that when so disposed its threepoints, including its apex, will contact the side walls of such chamber,and a perforated disk applied to the upper edge of said ribbon, saiddisk being of a size and shape such that when the diverter is disposedin operative relation to the chamber said disk is adapted to cover andclose such chamber.

9. A gas diverter according to claim 8 wherein the ribbon and the diskare joined together at points intermediate the ends of the legs of thedelta at opposite sides of its apex, but the ribbon is left free fromsuch points to the ends of the delta opposite its apex, for flexing.

10. A gas diverter according to claim 9 wherein the upright free ends ofthe ribbon, opposite the apex of the delta, are spaced apart whenrelaxed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,382,128 Shannon June 21, 1921 1,551,532 Axtell et al. Sept. 1, 19251,732,071 Shaw Oct. 15, 1929 2,235,635 Herman Mar. 18, 1941 2,430,688Schickler Nov. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,465 Great Britain Dec. 15,1921

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A GAS BURNING DEVICE INCLUDING CASING MEANSDEFINING A GAS DISTRIBUTING CHAMBER HAVING A TOP OPENING TO SUPPLY AFIRST BURNER MEANS, AND SAID CASING MEANS HAVING SPACED GAS INLET ANDOUTLET PORTS FORMED IN ITS SIDE WALLS, A SECOND BURNER MEANS CONNECTEDFOR SUPPLY TO SAID OUTLET PORT, GAS DIVERTER MEANS INSERTED WITHIN THEGAS DISTRIBUTING CHAMBER AND INCLUDING A RIBBON OF METAL DISPOSED IN ANUPRIGHT PLANE AND HAVING A LEG EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ENTIRELY ACROSSTHE CHAMBER AND FROM THE TOP OPENING DOWNWARDLY, FROM A LOCATIONADJACENT THE MOUTH OF THE INLET PORT TO A LOCATION ON THE OPPOSITE SIDEOF THE OUTLET PORT FROM SAID INLET PORT, SAID RIBBON LEG BEING SO SPACEDFROM THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE CHAMBER SIDE WALL BETWEEN SAIDLOCATIONS AS TO DIVIDE THE CHAMBER INTO TWO SUBCHAMBERS AT LEAST ONE OFWHICH COMMUNICATES WITH THE TOP OPENING AND THE OTHER OF WHICHINTERCONNECTS THE INLET AND OTLET PORTS TO DIVERT GAS THEREBETWEEN ANDTO THE SECOND BURNER MEANS, AND